Review movies: An Education | Lone Scherling | Cary Mulligan

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

The Review - AT THE MOVIES with DAN CARRIER
Published: 29 October 2009

Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard

Getting educated in the university of life

THE EDUCATORS
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Certificate 12a

JOURNALIST Lynn Barber’s memoir-turned-movie about being 16 in a London that, in 1961, was on the cusp of swinging, is both funny and gentle.
Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is the prisoner of a privet-hedged life in west London, and is petrified as she realises her home is not the centre of the universe and that getting into Oxbridge should not be the only aim for an adolescent. In swooshes dashing older man David (Peter Sarsgaard), who opens her eyes to temptations and dangers. The film’s strengths are many: Nick Hornby’s screenplay is quick-witted, Carey Mulligan’s performance excellent. The coming of age attitude is well observed, while Barber’s original book shows a rare ability to look back at one’s own life and find common threads that every other suburban 16-year-old will be able to relate to.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

» Film Times
» Film Reviews
» Buy DVDs
» Rent DVDs